OLDHAM 14 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 40
DAVE PARKINSON, Boundary Park, Sunday
OLDHAM are still waiting for a first Wembley appearance after a full-blooded effort took Featherstone back to the national stadium, where they won this competition in 2021.
Caleb Aekins crossed twice in a team performance which Paul Cooke will hope further peps up Rovers’ season, while Roughyeds team chief Sean Long will seek a quick response when back in Championship action.
The tie stated cagily. There was little by way of ball movement, with Ryan Hampshire kicking deep for the visitors and Josh Drinkwater doing likewise for the hosts.
Oldham made the first half-break through Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e and the rivals went set for set in the first nine minutes before an error from Matty Ashurst.
Long’s side then compounded that mistake, gifting a penalty within kicking range – and Ben Reynolds booted Featherstone into the lead.
A further penalty had Cooke’s team on the front foot, and they forced a drop-out on the back of a contested kick from Hampshire and an improvised aftermath. A further kick from Reynolds created issues for Oldham, but they held firm.
Connor Wynne had a try chalked off due to an obstruction in the 20th minute, finally allowing Oldham some field position, but George Hirst was forced to turnover five metres out.
Featherstone stretched their advantage in the 25th minute with a strong finish from Aekins, and Reynolds converted for 8-0.
On the half hour, some mesmeric hands on the last tackle and an intelligent kick from Ashurst forced a drop-out by Featherstone, and Oldham looked lively, winning a set restart, only for Ben Davies to kick into a melee of legs.
Gareth Gale picked up and went 70 metres and Featherstone took play left through Reynolds and Hampshire, and Wynne dived over in the corner.
It became two tries in four minutes when a great break from Jordan Williams set the position and Reynolds handed on for Clay Webb to hit an unstoppable line. This time Reynolds was on target from the tee, and it was 18-0.
It was first blood Oldham in the second half as they won a drop-out and Davies finished some great approach work by Laulu-Togaga’e.
Then Ben Forster knocked on over the line as Oldham flooded forward, but within seconds, Featherstone were down the other end and Hampshire scythed through with precision for Reynolds to convert.
The Yorkshire team remained in ascendancy with Hampshire and Reynolds continuing to control the game.
And they scored again after 58 minutes when Derrell Olpherts broke the line and Connor Jones was at his shoulder to notch. Reynolds added his fifth goal.
A superb cover tackle from Wynne put Davies into touch in the 62nd minute, but Oldham rallied, with Riley Dean twice involved on the right before his kick was pounced on by Adam Milner. Drinkwater goaled to cut the lead to 30-10.
Then a superb pass from Danny Craven had Nathan Lowe in wide out, and Oldham survived a drop-out and pushed forward again.
However four minutes from time, Aekins broke through on the right for a second time to break Oldham hearts.
Then with the clock ticking down, a raid down the left finished with Reynolds shipping the ball on for Wynne to speed through, chip past Laulu-Togaga’e and win the race for his second try of the game. Reynolds took his goal haul to six.
GAMESTAR: Featherstone fullback Caleb Aekins was classy throughout, taking all the kicks that came his way, linking play well, and scoring two tries.
GAMEBREAKER: The pair of late tries which saw Rovers home.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Connor Jones’ 58th-minute try from Derrell Olpherts’ break which helped Featherstone make it 30-4 set off massive celebrations in the Rovers end.
MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
35 Nathan Lowe
3 Jordan Turner
30 George Hirst
38 Ben Davies
7 Riley Dean
23 Josh Drinkwater
8 Gil Dudson
34 Tom Forber
19 Ted Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
27 Ben Forster
13 Adam Milner
Subs (All used)
40 Eloi Pelissier
6 Danny Craven
10 Owen Farnworth
16 Pat Moran
18th man (not used)
1 Logan Astley
Also in 21-man squad
14 Bailey Aldridge
21 Lewis Baxter
– Mathieu Pons
Tries: Davies (45), Milner (65), Lowe (68)
Goals: Drinkwater 1/3
ROVERS
1 Caleb Aekins
2 Derrell Olpherts
24 Bailey O’Connor
5 Gareth Gale
22 Connor Wynne
28 Ryan Hampshire
6 Ben Reynolds
8 Gadwin Springer
9 Will Jubb
10 Jimmy Beckett
17 Clay Webb
20 Josh Hardcastle
13 Danny Addy
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Jones
25 Jack Arnold
21 Jordan Williams
16 King Vuniyayawa
18th man (not used)
23 Calum Turner
Also in 21-man squad
4 Jayden Hatton
11 Brad Day
12 Toby Boothroyd
Tries: Aekins (25, 76), Wynne (33, 79), Webb (36), Hampshire (49), Jones (58)
Goals: Reynolds 6/8
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-8, 0-12, 0-18; 4-18, 4-24, 4-30, 10-30, 14-30, 14-34, 14-40
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Oldham: Riley Dean; Rovers: Caleb Aekin
Penalty count: 2-3
Half-time: 0-18
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 2,843
